I question why the Oregon Health Authority has not weighed in on this discussion. Oregon Poison Control weighed in the first few days after the Portland Mercury story. They need to publish a hot spot map for health for lung cancer. This sort of epidemiology is centuries old, and this methodology finds true solutions to health risks rather than these media scares. You will find high incidence along Tri-Met bus routes and industrial corridors with diesel trains and truck transport, not near boutique glass manufacturers. I agree the time is now for an industry using high heat with metal and glass to install baghouse traps if they can afford them. The solution is not to shut down all industry in SE Portland by applying EPA benchmark as health standards.

But if you really want to improve childrens’ health, switch Tri-Met buses to propane like Portland Public Schools did decades ago, and make particulate filters mandatory for diesel engines inside the city limits or at least near schools. Google the landmark whitepaper “No Breathing In The Aisles” for excellent science being applied to the problem of diesel exhaust to calculate true health risk to children.